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Celestialsailor · 08-11-2016, 11:54

Down at the boat in Mx. after the Hurricane Newton carnage sorting things out for a long cruise of the Sea of Cortez. I had a few issues with the fuel coming down the Baja coast and decided to get proactive and have the fuel polished. I was astonished to find 2 gallons of water at the bottom of the full, 50 gallon diesel tank. So now the fuel was polished and put back in. My freiend and I broke apart the Racor 500 fuel filter and as you can see was completely blocked. It took a good 3 hours to get it spotlessly clean and a new 10 micron filter replaced as well as a primary filter. It took some priming and pumping but the Westerbeke W46 fired up. I inspected the deck fuel fill which I never use and lo and behold a buggered o-ring. So off to a half dozed places in Mx. and finally found one. I reinstalled with some sealant as I use the fill on top of the fuel tank.
Spent 3 days going through the entire engine.

Cheechako · 08-11-2016, 12:11

Good on ya. Yep, it's nice to know what you have in there.

**a64pilot** · 08-11-2016, 12:17

Put some bug killer in there, if there was water, there still is a little, and bugs love that water / fuel interface.
Actually all fuel has some water, it's dissolved or in solution in the fuel.

I have had real good luck myself with Biobor Jf

Terra Nova · 08-11-2016, 13:55

On my diesel tank installations I install a small sump with drain valve, where accessible, for emptying the water and sediment.

DeepFrz · 08-11-2016, 14:40

To bad you couldn't get pictures of what was in the tank

Celestialsailor · 08-11-2016, 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Put some bug killer in there, if there was water, there still is a little, and bugs love that water / fuel interface.
Actually all fuel has some water, it's dissolved or in solution in the fuel.

I have had real good luck myself with Biobor Jf

Yup...on the list before I head back for T-giving and xmas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

On my diesel tank installations I install a small sump with drain valve, where accessible, for emptying the water and sediment.

I have one but what a b!#ch to get to!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

To bad you couldn't get pictures of what was in the tank

It was amazing. A guy came out from San Carlos and took a 50 gallon drum up my latter(dry docked), pumped it all out, dumping water as it polished it. He took 2 hours and charged $110us.

sailon46 · 09-11-2016, 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Yup...on the list before I head back for T-giving and xmas.

I have one but what a b!#ch to get to!

It was amazing. A guy came out from San Carlos and took a 50 gallon drum up my latter(dry docked), pumped it all out, dumping water as it polished it. He took 2 hours and charged $110us.

I had a local do the same 50 gallon drum fuel polish for me in Grenada in the Port Louis Marina. Charged the same amount. Go figure
Ernie on the Mary Jane

**skipmac** · 09-11-2016, 09:27

Twice in my sailing career I had to deal with trashed tanks, both times where polishing was not an option but I did find places that could use the old fuel so just gave it away. Still was a mess trying to clean out the residue in the tanks.

My tanks don't have an actual sump but do have one corner that is the low end. The fuel gauge is right over that so I periodically pull the gauge out and use a mini pump to suck out whatever's in the bottom. Of course have to do it when the boat has been in a still spot or on the hard for a few days so the crap has settled.

Jan Rydstrom · 09-11-2016, 12:32

Seems that you are unaware of a great American product for dirty diesel. Check out Fuel Right. Solves all problems permanently.

Celestialsailor · 09-11-2016, 13:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan Rydstrom

Seems that you are unaware of a great American product for dirty diesel. Check out Fuel Right. Solves all problems permanently.

Sorry...I could only find one review. So for now it is still under the catagory of snake oil.

zeehag · 10-11-2016, 12:20

the junk in yours is similar to that in mine--i had 25 liters of it.. my fuel was a little less yellow than yours.
mexican fuel tank blues
i clean mine every 6 months to year and still have what looks like bilgewater in weak varnish scented fuel.
biobor not available here , and thee local mexico fuel additive for diesel does not do much good at algae prevention..

TheThunderbird · 11-11-2016, 00:42

I came to the conclusion that boat designers and makers are Wrong about diesel tank installation, design, fuel lines and, most prominently, a Decent Access to the (skipped in OEM) filtering system.

Shame on them.

A friendly motorist and i just spent a full week ordering it all in a decent manner.
On a 54' (7 tanks) it was a real PITA and a big shame on the builder reputation

masonc · 11-11-2016, 03:23

For our generator business, we use diesel snakes that we insert through the filler and leave in the tank overnight. They soak up water and sludge then we remove and discard. I'll look for the info.

Celestialsailor · 11-11-2016, 03:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by masonc

For our generator business, we use diesel snakes that we insert through the filler and leave in the tank overnight. They soak up water and sludge then we remove and discard. I'll look for the info.

Thanx...I'd really like to chaeck that out.